Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Clearly, this blog is on hiatus. A newborn arriving any day+a hellacious project at work+the offseason has led to other things. I plan to relaunch on June 1. But I couldn't let this day pass without offering congratulations to Anthony Thompson, who will has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and will be inducted later this year. IU has never been known for football success, but the closest we have come was during the AT era. But for a devastating loss to Purdue in the 1989 Bucket game that dropped the Hoosiers to 506 after three straight winning seasons, AT would have been a part of IU's first class to play in four bowl games, and probably would have won the Heisman Trophy. As it was, AT still finished second in the 1989 Heisman voting, behind Andre Ware of Houston in one of the closest elections in history. Had AT pulled it off, he would have joined Notre Dame's Paul Hornung as the only Heisman winners from losing teams. When he left IU, AT held the NCAA's single game rushing record (377 yards against Minnesota in 1988), the career touchdown record, and had scored more points than any non-kicker in the history of college football.

I was worried that AT would be overlooked. some have suggested that the CFBHOF is biased toward players who played well in the NFL. Congrats, AT.